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Scientists are learning new things about Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth. For example, the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking. A new study found that summer ice loss in parts of Antarctica was at its highest level in 1,000 years. The study showed that Antarctic ice was melting mostly from below ice shelves, where the water is warmer than the ice.
Eric Rignot is an earth system expert at the University of California, Irvine. He also works for the American space agency, NASA. There he serves as senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also in California. He says ice melting from below is responsible for 55 percent of the shelf loss from 2003 to 2008. That is a much higher rate than scientists thought earlier.
Professor Rignot and his team used satellite observations, radar and computer models to measure features above the ice to learn what was going on below.
The measurements show differences from one area to the next around the continent. The major ice shelves are called Ross, Filchner and Ronne. They make up two-thirds of Antarctica’s ice shelves. But they are responsible for only 15 percent of the melting ice.
The professor says even small changes, like changes in ocean flow driven by wind, can make a huge difference in the melting of the ice shelf.
Sixty percent of the Earth’s fresh water is held in the huge Antarctic ice sheet. Professor Rignot says the study will help experts predict how the continent reacts to warmer ocean waters and helps to cause rising sea levels around the world. The study was published in the journal Science.
What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking

B．the coldest place on earth

C．the major Antarctica’s ice shelves

D．the Atlantic Ocean are changing

How did Eric Rignot and his team do the research?

A．He serves as senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

B．Small changes, like changes in ocean flow driven by wind, can make a huge difference in the melting of the ice shelf.

C．They used satellite observations, radar and computer models to know the things happening below the ice.

D．They melted 55% of the Antarctica’s ice to prove their theory is right.

Which is true of the following statements?

A．Ice melting from below is responsible for 35 percent of the shelf loss from 2003 to 2008.

B．Sixty percent of the Earth’s fresh water is contained in the huge Antarctic ice sheet.

C．The major ice shelves are called Ross, Filchner and Ronne, which make up one-third of Antarctica’s ice shelves.

D．Summer ice loss in Antarctica was at its highest level in 1,000 years.

How many times a day do you check your email? When you wake up? Before bed? A dozen times in between? The technology that was supposed to simplify our lives has become the vital time-suck: the average teen spends more than seven hours a day using technological devices, plus an additional hour just text-messaging friends.
The advantage of technological devices is connectedness: email lets us respond on the go, and we are in touch with more people during more hours of the day than at any other time in history. But is it possible we’re more lonely than ever, too? That’s what MIT professor Sherry Turkle observes in her new book, Alone Together, a fascinating portrait of our changing relationship with technology. Turkle details the ways technology has redefined our comprehension of closeness and loneliness—and warns us of the danger of accepting such virtual(虚拟的) relationships in place of lasting emotional connections.
For Turkle, the biggest worry is the effect all these shallow connections have on our development. Is technology offering us the lives we want to live? “We’re texting people at a distance,” says Turkle, “We’re using lifeless objects to convince ourselves that even when we’re alone, we feel together. And then when we’re with each other, we put ourselves in situations where we are alone—constantly on our mobile devices. It’s what I call a perfect storm of confusion about what’s important in our human connections.”
What can’t be denied is that technology, whatever its faults, makes life a whole lot easier. It allows us to communicate with more people in less time and makes conversation simple. But it can also be seductive(具有诱惑性的), providing more stimulation than our natural lives. There are usually some unhealthy videos online which remove teenagers’ attention from their schoolwork. Besides, some online activities make people addicted, which occupied their daily life and affected their ability to form real-world relationships. “Technology can be more immediately satisfying than the labor of building an intimate relationship,” said one highschool student, “Every time I text, I start to have some happy feelings.”
But are any of those feelings equal to the kind we feel when engaged in real, face-to-face communication? Online, you can neglect others’ feelings. In a text message, you can avoid eye contact. A number of studies have found that this generation of teens is less sympathetic than ever. That doesn’t spell disaster, says Turkle, but……
From the first paragraph we can infer that_________.

A．email checking helps people wake up early

B．technological device production has been simplified

C．using technological devices costs teens much time

D．people communicate mainly by text-messaging now

Turkle’s new book mainly discussed________.

A．ways to draw a fascinating portrait

B．the advantages of technology

C．the dangers of accepting emotional connections

D．how technology influences human relationships

What worries Turkle most is that more and more people are_________.

A．starting to accept emotional connections in place of virtual connections

B．being affected by the shallow connections through the mobile devices

C．dropping the use of technological devices for connection with each other

D．convincing themselves by using fewer lifeless objects in connections

Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A．Others’ feelings can be ignored in online communication.

B．No stimulation is provided in natural life connections.

C．People always send text messages to avoid eye contact.

D．It may be a disaster that teens are less sympathetic than ever.

What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To instruct people how to do with emails.

B．To lead us to consider what’s important in human connections.

C．To promote a wider use of technological devices.

D．To stress the importance of technology.

In New York, Ma Yun witnessed the Alibaba Group opening on the New York stock exchange with the largest initial public offering (IPO, 新股发行) in American history. “Alibaba, the world’s largest Internet commerce company makes China equal to the US in the rapidly increasing global competition for technological innovation (创新) and economic transformation ” commented the South China Morning Post.
It has also made Ma Yun China’s richest man with a fortune of around $25 billion (153 billion yuan), reported Reuters.
It’s reported that Ma’s rags-to-riches journey is just as spectacular as his Internet empire. Ma failed the national college entrance exams twice before he was finally in Hangzhou Normal University on his third attempt and failed in finding a suitable job several times. Also, Mr. Ma is a big believer in perseverance, which was proved in his English study experience.
However, it was his vision and goals that launched his career.
During a short trip to the US as an interpreter in 1995, Ma first experienced the Internet. He believed in the Internet’s business potential when few other Chinese people did. He started Alibaba in his Hangzhou apartment, with 17 friends and $60,000 of funds. At the time, when e-commerce was unheard of in China, “I called myself a blind man riding on the back of blind tigers,” he once said, according to The Guardian. His unusual ideas earned him the nickname “Crazy Jack Ma”.
Indeed, Ma is different. Although he is very thin and about 160cm tall, “Ma is yet animated and forceful, said The Guardian. “He is funny, creative, and a compelling (引人注目的) speaker.
Ma told Time magazine that he was “old for the Internet”. He started to slow down and looked around. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ma “plans to open a tai chi club with the actor Jet Li, build an entrepreneur (企业家) university in Hangzhou and continue to work on several environmental projects.”
What made him into e-commerce industry?

A．His English learning experience.

B．His foresight and ambitions.

C．His belief in perseverance.

D．His 17 friends and $60,000 funds.

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Ma is a blind man riding on a blind tiger.

B．Ma had no confidence in his business future.

C．Ma knew little about e-commerce.

D．Ma had not enough money at that time.

What’s the personality of Ma Yun according to the passage?

A．Funny and competitive.	B．Determined and creative.
C．Rich and different.	D．Attractive and believable.

What’s the best title of the passage?

A．The Development of Alibaba Group.

B．Ma Yun’s Personal Life.

C．Ma Yun’s Crazy Success.

D．E-commerce in China.

NEWS BRIEF
●New labels to show calories
The US government ruled that all food establishments(场所) should put the calorie information of their foods on their menus. Within a year chain restaurants, like fast food KFC, will have to say clearly on their menus how many calories their fried chicken wings, fries, and other items contain. Amusement parks, movie theaters and supermarkets will also have to follow the rules. The move is designed to fight against the problem of obesity(肥胖) in the US.
● Antibiotics leading to world problem
The entire world is facing this problem: antibiotic resistance. And the resistance will lead to the deaths of 10 million people across the world by 2025, predicted a new report released by the UK government. Antibiotics are used to destroy or slow the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies. But overuse and misuse of them can encourage bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming antibiotics, which makes it increasingly difficult for humans to fight diseases.
●___________________________________
Australia is the world's most expensive destination for international students, according to a study done by Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). They have to spend an average of $ 42,000 ( about 258 ,000 yuan) a year to study at Australian universities. Singapore is not far behind, with an average yearly cost of $ 39,229, followed by the US at $ 36,564 and the UK at 35,045. However, Australia's education quality only ranks joint fourth with Canada, well below the US, the UK, and Germany. In addition, international students studying in Germany only have to pay about one-sixth the cost of studying in Australia.
● New Games sports may be added
The International Olympic Committee has canceled the 28-sportcap for future summer Olympics But each summer Games will still only be allowed 10, 500 athletes and 310 events. Countries that could host the games will discuss plans with the committee during a new invitation stage before bidding. They are also allowed to hold events outside their own countries and get financial support from the committee. No changes will be introduced for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The news brief covers ______________.

A．medicine, disaster, finance, events

B．business, medicine, economy, sports

C．service, health, education, events

D．health, medicine, education, sports

The underlined word “antibiotics” in Line 7 refers to ___________.

A．serious diseases	B．medical drugs
C．harmful bacteria	D．varieties of resistance

Which of the following fits in the blank best in the news brief?

A．The cost of studying overseas

B．Australian study most expensive

C．International students in Australia

D．Australia's education quality

Which of the following statements is best supported by the news brief?

A．Some events may be held outside the host country in future summer Olympics

B．It is Australia's best education quality that will cause students to make a wise choice.

C．It is necessary for the UK government to try hard to encourage using lots of antibiotics.

D．Popcorn sold in cinemas in the world will soon have calorie information labels.

I work in a nursing home and my job is to take care of the elderly.
This year, a very sweet old lady that I cared for，Alice, had gone through a difficult time .She got dementia and so she had been in the hospital twice .In November I was finally able to get her back to her “home”.
Alice had thought her daughter was coming to visit her on Christmas day and that they were going to have the whole family together like the old days. When she finally realized that that happy moment was not going to happen, she was very sad. Knowing that her daughter was coming after Christmas was not enough to make her feel happy, I hated the idea of her being alone on the holiday!
On Christmas Eve, I gave her a surprise by asking if she could like to go to a candlelight service at church that night.
Instead of taking her to my church, I took her to her old neighborhood church where all her friends were. We got there early and I got her a seat where her friends could see her as they came in. Then soon some of her friends came to the church and they rushed over to greet her and sit with her.
The candlelight service was beautiful and Alice got a lot of love from her old and new friends there. The truth of the story is that I am the one who got the best gift: the smile on Alice’s face.
The underlined word “dementia” in Paragraph 2 probably is_______.

A．a house	B．a letter
C．an illness	D．a plan

Where did Alice spend her Christmas Eve according to the story?

A．In her old neighborhood church.	B．In her old house.
C．In the nursing home.	D．In the hospital.

What was the best gift that the author got on Christmas Eve?

A．The candlelight service.

B．Alice’s happiness.

C．Praise from Alice’s friends.

D．Thanks from Alice’s daughter.

What is the best title for this passage?

A．My special job.

B．The dream of all old lonely lady.

C．A special candlelight Christmas Eve.

D．The true love.

A．0844 847 2484	B．0800 587 5007
C．0844 499 6699	D．0161 245 6609

A．Delayed payment for tickets.	B．Invitations to opening nights.
C．Reduced booking fees by phone	D．Generous discounts on tickets.